


School Dances Are Lame

by FantasiaV



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, School Dances, highschool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 04:46:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8954188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasiaV/pseuds/FantasiaV
Summary: Real quote from Hux and Ben who go to the dance only to judge people, but end up getting bored and ditching the dance to go get pizza.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of some lovely art by tumblr user sadskiesandshootingstars  
> Would 10/10 recommend checking out said art:  
> http://sadskiesandshootingstars.tumblr.com/post/139860651519/62-watermelons-look-how-gross-they-are

“Ben, sit up straight. And stop scowling.”

As Han Solo rolled the car up by the school sidewalk, Ben did just the opposite. In an exaggerated display of defiance, he only slouched lower. His head disappeared beneath the car window, his back hit the bottom of the seat, and his knees hit the floor.

Han Solo made a tsk-ing noise with his tongue. “It’s like you don’t even want to make friends.”

“I don’t.” Ben said. “Friends suck.” He tried to sink lower in his seat, but ending up almost choking on the diagonal seat belt. Ever the dramatic, he thought _‘I can’t believe the things that are supposed to keep me safe are trying to kill me. First dad and now this damned seat belt.’_

“Friends don’t suck, Ben. You need to give other people a chance. And you can start by going to these school events.”

Ben shot his father a withering glare. “School dances are lame. There’s no point in this. It’s just a waste of time. When I’m on my deathbed looking back at my life, I won’t think ‘Gee, it’s a good thing I went to a shitty highschool dance. Wow that really turned my life around. My whole life has been entirely shaped by the two and a half hours I spent in a dark gymnasium surrounded by sweaty teens.’”

“Just give it a shot,” Han groaned. “Try dancing. Try talking to some people. Maybe you’ll like it.”

“I made other plans.”

“...Oh?”

“Yeah,” Ben said, a little softer this time. “I’ve made plans with Hux to stand in the back and judge everyone.”

\---

By the time Ben had entered the gym, Hux had already claimed the right side of the fold up bleachers as his “judgement corner”. With a plastic cup of punch in one hand and a cold scowl on his face, he looked like he was right in his element.

Well, almost in his element.

“You’re wearing that?” Ben gestured to the other’s neatly pressed suit and tie.

“I should be asking you the same,” Hux replied cooly. “A dark peacoat? This is a dance, not a murder scene. Of course, you probably don’t own any good formal wear, so if this is the best you can do then whatever.”

“I do too have good formal wear!”

“Are you talking about the navy blue suit?”

Ben knitted his eyebrows in confusion, before realizing Hux meant the suit he had worn to the formal family brunch. “Yeah, I still have that.”

“It doesn’t fit you right,” Hux said dismissively. “The pants show too much of your ankle.”

“Scandalous,” Ben snorted. “So what’s up?”

Hux shrugged. They both new that nothing was up, hence their decision to actually go to a school event. “Your cousin’s here.”

“Rey? I know that already. She’s the one who told my dad and pretty much the whole reason I’m here.”

“And the reason I’m here.”

“Right, thanks.”

“Yep.”

Hux sipped his punch and the conversation died.

The DJ went through three more songs. At least, Ben thought it was three more. The beats blended into one another, each song never allowed to fully finish. He thought he recognized bits and pieces from what Rey liked to put on the radio, but the introduction of new techno rhythms threw him off. On top of that, every other minute the DJ felt the compulsion to lean into the mic and say something. Sometimes it was a personal opinion, sometimes it was a comment to the crowd, but 100% of the time, it was completely and utterly irrelevant.

The room itself had grown hotter. Coupled with the excited screams of his classmates, it had become pretty much unbearable.

Ben tugged at the lapels of his peacoat, which he had begun to regret wearing.

“Ben, you’re…” The rest of Hux’s words died under the new, loud dance song.

“What!?” Ben asked.

“What!?” Hux shouted.

“I asked you that!” Ben shouted back. “What are you saying?”

Hux nodded thoughtfully before pulling out his cellphone from his pocket. He made a few typing motions before showing the screen.

_‘You’re sweating. Stop being an idiot and just take off the coat.’_

Ben took the phone from Hux. _‘I need it for my image.’_

Hux frowned. ‘ _Since when was your image Ugly Sweat Boy?’_

_‘Also I’m not actually wearing a shirt under this.’_

Ben wasn’t sure if it was one of the party lights, but he could have sworn that he saw a faint bit of color rise to Hux’s cheeks.

Hux coughed before taking the phone back from Ben. _‘Fine then. Let’s just leave.’_

Instead of taking the phone to respond, Ben simply quirked a brow.

So Hux elaborated. ‘Look. Neither of us are having fun here. I’m pretty sure it’s not even safe for you to stay here sweating in that thing. Let’s just order pizza from that place across the street and then you can sneak back when your dad comes to pick you up.’

Not even three seconds after Ben nodded, Hux grabbed his arm and marched him across the dance floor.

\--

By the time Han had come to pick him up, Ben was already in front of the school waiting with Rey, as her parents had gone out and asked Han to give her a ride back home. Hux had stayed back at the pizza place. He both insisted that it was closer to his house and refused to go back to school.

“Why are you wearing that?” Rey broke the silence and gestured to Ben’s coat.

“It’s part of my image,” he answered tersely. “Why are you wearing that?”

Rey shrugged. She was dressed in bright colors and glow-stick necklaces. “I guess it’s just my image. I figured if I’m going to a dance to have fun, I might as well look like it.”

“Well, I came to judge people.”

“Yep…” Rey nodded slowly. “You certainly dressed the part.”

They were saved from further awkward conversation by Han. The moment his car pulled to the front, they clambered in wordlessly. Ben took the front seat, Rey the back.

“So kids, how was the dance?”

Rey beamed. “Tons of fun! I won like ten glow sticks.”

“Ten?” Han asked. “Are you sure you didn’t steal them?”

“Okay, okay fine. Poe and Finn let me take theirs. I definitely didn’t steal them though, I was given them.”

“So you didn’t win them either,” Ben muttered.

“As if you’d know,” Rey shot back. “You just stood in the back of the gym with Hux the whole time. It was so creepy.”

Ben felt his pocket buzz and reached to get his phone. A message from Rey flashed on the screen:

_‘Hey emo boy, I know you left early. I won’t tell Uncle Han, dw about it.’_

Another buzz. Another message.

_‘You and Hux look cute together -- I’m rooting for you <33’ _

“You look a little red kiddo… Are you feeling okay?” Han took a hand off the steering wheel to feel his son’s forehead.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. It was just a little hot in there. I’ll be fine.”

“I told you what would happen if you wore that coat, Ben.”

Rey could just barely contain her laughter in the backseat.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this was a ride because I had this sudden epiphany about how awful I was in middle/highschool. I never actually left in the middle of a dance, although I did just straight out watch Steven Universe on my phone during one and a shitty action-ish movie during another.  
> On and btw my tumblr is fantasiav, would 10/10 recommend following


End file.
